'PM Modi Told Me He Was India's Son': Hearts Heavy as Remains of Student Killed in Ukraine Reach B'luru

The final rites of Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagoudar, the medical student who lost his life in Russian shelling in Kharkiv city of Ukraine, was performed in his native village Chalageri here on Monday morning.

His family conducted the rites as per Veerashaiva Lingayat traditions.

The mortal remains will be kept for public viewing till 2 p.m. and later handed over to the private medical college.

People from surrounding villages have lined up to pay their last respects to Naveen. Several students who returned from the war-torn Ukraine have also come to pay their homage. Praveen, who came back safely from Ukaine, said that Naveen was a rank holder and guided juniors in Ukraine.

“We studied in the same college. Naveen was a gem of a person. He helped many who came from India to settle down in Ukraine. I had been to his room before the war started,” he said.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who was present at 3 a.m. on Monday when Naveen’s body arrived from Dubai, is also likely to visit the native village offer his condolences to family.

Remembering her son as a selfless bring, Naveen’s mother Vijayalakshmi said he got killed as he went out to fetch food for his friends. Had he stayed back in the bunker, he would have been alive. To make his death meaningful, the family has decided to donate his body to the medical college, she said. “In his last moments my son’s action to venture out was selfless,” she reiterated.

The mortal remains of Naveen had reached the Kempegowda International Airport (KIAL) in Bengaluru in the wee hours of Monday.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai with his cabinet colleagues had reached the Bengaluru International airport and paid homage to Naveen.

Speaking to reporters, Chief Minister Bommai stated that a country’s strength and might is known at the time of crisis. Prime Minister Narendra Modi “showed the might of the nation at this hour of crisis by bringing back the mortal remains of Naveen”.

“The body has arrived today and we have made all arrangements,” he said.

“During evacuation time, our officers who stationed at New Delhi, Ghaziabad, Mumbai and Bengaluru airport took care of students who returned from Ukraine. It was ensured that the students returned from Ukraine would reach to their home safely,” Bommai added.

He further said that a dedicated helpline was initiated within 12 hours of the crisis. The state officials kept in touch with External Affairs Ministry as well as the Indian Embassy in Ukraine.

The government also created a WhatsApp group and a website to reach out to students stuck in Ukarine, Bommai said, adding that “the officials have done a good job”.

He thanked the state, Indian, Ukrainian and Poland’s officers for helping and putting in efforts to bring back the mortal remains of the Karnataka student.

“I am at pain that we could not bring back Naveen alive,” the Chief Minister said.

“Our government stands with Naveen’s family. We have issued the compensation, and we will see what can be done for his younger brother,” he stated.

Shekarappa, the student’s father, said he felt relieved after having his son’s body back. “The Prime Minister told me he is not only your son, he is India’s son,” he said.

The family had earlier declared they were going to donate Naveen’s body to a medical college for research. After performing the final rites, the family will donate the body to the SS Medical College of Davanagere, he had said earlier. The decision has been taken to enable the medical college students with their studies, he had added.

Health Minister K. Sudhakar, MP from Haveri Shivakumar Udasi, MLA Arunkumar and Congress MLC Saleem Ahmad were also present at the airport.

Earlier, in his letter addressed to the Prime Minister, Bommai conveyed his gratitude for the Prime Minister’s efforts to help retrieve Naveen’s mortal remains from Kharkiv.

Naveen of Karnataka’s Haveri district had lost his life on March 1 in Kharkiv and his family have been “beseeching” the authorities to retrieve his body. However, heavy fighting in the area has prevented the retrieval till recently.

Naveen’s family has said that the body would be donated to a medical college after last rites.

With IANS inputs

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